Courtesy of Cirque du SoleilThe fire dancer is one of the daring acts of Cirque du Soleil's "Alegria" arena show at the Onondaga War Memorial.

I'm at a disadvantage when seeing Cirque du Soleil. I've seen eight shows over the years, so I'm a bit jaded. "Alegria" I saw under the big top in California 14 years ago. I wasn't keen on it then. But, I changed my opinion after watching last night's performance at the Onondaga County War Memorial.

The leaping, flying, muscle power, whimsy and ingenuity _ all play out as wonderfully captivating entertainment. "Alegria's" excitement is contagious. The music, with snatches of French flavor, circus patter and ethereal sounds, fuels the imagination.

I found myself holding my breath and then exhaling with several "wow's" as I watched the frenzied activities of gymnasts flying through the air, a duo of fire twirlers and a trio flinging themselves vertically off of narrow beams.

No Cirque show is complete without the contortionists who stretch the imagination, and the hoop spinner and elastic aerialist acts have been featured in other shows.

A pleasant interlude occurs when two clowns clamber on stage with some silly and clever routines. One clown sketch was ingenious and left everyone blown away at its finale.

One small quibble, "Alegria's" close didn't have the dynamic spectacle of several earlier acts.

No matter, you won't leave the show disappointed. You'll think perhaps running away with the circus is still a fine idea, even if you're past prime.